Receptacle cover



R. G. CURTIS Sept. 12, 1939.

original Filed sept. 1 8, 193'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig la Sept. l2, 1939. R. G. cum-ls 2,172,761

RECEPTACLE COVER Original Filed Sept. 18, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 '14 492V f mS=\/"Z i l] 22 W E f L2 4 III E "1- l5 hhl Immun 15 21 mm; im 1g A @VWM/W Patented Sept. 12, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RELCXEPTACLE COVER Original application September 18, 1937, Serial Divided and this application March 9, 1938, Serial No. 194,794

6 Claims.

The invention relates to receptacles provided with removable self-locking covers, more particularly to the covers for garbage cans and the like where it is desirable to prevent lifting or removal V of the cover either by force of the wind or by dogs or other animals attempting to get at the contents of the receptacle, and the present application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 164,548, filed September 18, 1937.

The invention relatesI more particularly to the particular type of covers having a hinged or movable handle mounted near one side of the cover and provided with an inturned latch portion disposed between the depending rim of the cover and the side of the receptacle and adapted to engage beneath the usual rim bead of the receptacle to normally hold the cover locked upon the receptacle unless the handle is moved by the operator to withdraw the latch portion thereof from the locked position to a point between inwardly disposed projections on the rim flange of the cover for the purpose of removing the cover.

1t is known that covers having movable locking or latching handles, have been produced in the past, such as Loeber Patents No. 1,358,380, No. 1,856,877, No. 1,884,763, No. 1,977,641 and Jamison Patent No. 1,961,223, but in all of these patents, as well as in my prior application above referred to, the latching portion of the handle extended through an aperture, opening or slot in the rim flange of the cover; and it is a primary object of the present improvement to provide a latching handle for such covers, adopting the new principle of inwardly disposed projections upon the cover rim, as disclosed and claimed in my prior Patent No. 2,111,359 and obviating the necessity of cutting an aperture or slot in the rim flange to receive the latching portion of the handle, the same extending beneath the rim flange to a point where it will normally engage the rim bead of the receptacle to lock the cover thereon.

Another object oi the improvement is to provide a spring hinge for movably connecting the 45 latching handle to the cover, whereby the cover will be held locked upon the receptacle even though the receptacle is tipped over or upset.

The above objects together with others which will be apparent from the drawings and following description, or which may be later referred to, may be attained by constructing the improved receptacle cover in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a receptacle provided with a cover having a latching handle cont structed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2, a detached, perspective view of one form of the improved latching handle;

Fig. 3, a similar view of another form of the latching handle;

Fig. 4, an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional View through the upper' portion of the receptacle, showing the cover provided with the form of latching handle shown in Fig. 2, in locked position upon the receptacle;

Fig. 5, a similar view showing the cover tilted upon the receptacle but still remaining locked thereon;

Fig. 6, a similar view showing the manner in which the cover is unlocked from the receptacle by operation of the lat-ching handle;

Fig. 7, an inverted fragmentary plan sectional view through the upper portion of the receptacle and the rim iiange of the cover showing a usual form of means between a portion of the cover diametrically lopposite to the latching handle and the receptacle providing an operative connection of the cover therewith;

Fig. 8, a similar section through the improved latehing means shown in Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 6;

Fig. 9, a view similar to Fig. 4, showing the modied form of latching handle illustrated in Fig. 3 in the locked position;

Fig. 10, a view similar to Fig. 6, showing the modified form of latching handle in unlocked position as when the same is manually operated to remove the cover from the receptacle.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

The self-locking cover to which the invention pertains is adapted to be employed upon a common form of receptacle such as the garbage can indicated generally at iii. As in general practice, the side wall of the receptacle adjacent to its open upper end is provided with an outwardly extending rim bead l l which performs the usual function of strengthening and reinforcing the rim of the receptacle and also serves as' a means tovbe engaged by the latching device associated with the cover and comprising the present invention.

The receptacle and cover are both illustrated in the drawings as being of circular form since this is the customary shape for such receptacles, but it should be understood that the cross sectional shape of both the receptacle and cover may be of any other suitable or desired configuration without departing from the spirit of the invention;

The cover for the receptacle is indicated generally at I2 and may be given any suitable and usual contour as by stamping or otherwise, so as to be properly reinforced, and is provided with the usual depending peripheral harige I3 adapted to extend downwardly over the rim bead II of the receptacle and to be slightly spaced therefrom, all as in usual practice and as shown in the drawings.

As illustrated in the drawings, the inner dimensions of the rim ange I3 of the cover are such that sucent clearance is provided to permit the cover to be easily and readily placed upon and removed from the can without binding, and yet not too much clearance so that the latching handle forming an important part of the invention may not function; while at the same time the cover will fit tightly upon the can when in the closed position.

Referring first to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 6, the handle is indicated generally at I4 and may be made of a section of at strip metal formed into a loop, as shown in the drawings and movably connected to the cover as by the spring I5 connected at one end to the rim flange of the cover as by rivets IGand atits other end to the handle I4 as by rivets I'I, providing a spring hinge by means of which the handle is movably connected to the cover and adapted to be normally held in locked position, as will be later described.

The outer portion of the handle I4 is bent downwardly beneath the rim bead I 8 of the cover and may terminate in an upwardly extending latching portion I 9 disposed beneath the rim bead II of the receptacle for locking or latching engagement therewith to prevent accidental displacement of the cover in the event the same is tilted relative to the receptacle, as shown in Fig. 5.

inwardly disposed projections or wards 20 are provided upon the rim flange at each side of the latching portion I9 of the handle and are preferably of slightly greater depth than the thickness of said latching portion and preferably tapered down toward the lower edge of the rim ange, -as shown. These projections or wards may be formed in any suitable and desired manner, but for the sake of simplicity and cheapness, it is preferable that they be formed by inwardly stamping or pressing portions of the rim flange as illustrated.

Preferably at a point on the rim ange I3 of the cover diametrically opposite to the latching handle above described, some means such as the spring strip 2I is provided to project inwardly for a distance suiiicient to engage beneath the underside of the rim bead II of the receptacle and prevent dislodgement of the cover upon this side of the receptacle. This spring strip is a common form of device used for this purpose and may be connected intermediate its ends to the cover flange I3 as by the rivets 22, the opposite ends of the spring strip 2I extending beneath the bead I I.

As shown in Fig. 8, the latching portion I9 of the handle is preferably inclined transversely at an angle to the adjacent portion of the cover fiange I3 so that in operating the handle to unlock the cover the leading edge of the latching portion I9 will first contact the cover ange between the projections or wards 20, after which a further outward pull upon the handle Will cause the same to pivot upon this leading edge of the latching portion and to swing slightly to one side as the latching portion is drawn back against the cover flange between the projections or wards 2U.

In Figs. 3, 9 and 10 is shown a slightly modified form of the invention in which the handle I4w is in the form of a small ring through which a finger may be inserted to operate the same.

therwise all of the parts of this form of the invention may be identically the same as illustrated and above described with respect to Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 6 and the same reference numerals are applied to the drawings thereof.

The operation of the improved latching means as illustrated in the several figures of the drawings will be obvious from the above description but may be briefly described as follows:

Considering first the form of the invention shown in Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 6, assuming that the cover is placed upon the receptacle in the manner shown in Fig. 4, the spring will hold the latching portion of the handle in the position shown in said figure, so that the inner or upper end of the latching portion is in close proximity to the adjacent side wall of the receptacle at a point directly below the rim bead of the receptacle.

Any attempt to remove the cover from the can,

lwithout grasping and pulling outward upon the handle I4, will be opposed by the latching portion I9 of the handle engaging the underside of the rim bead II of the receptacle, as shown in Fig. 5.

If, however, the handle I4 is pulled outward t0 the position shown in Fig. 6, the latching portion I9 of the handle will be received between the inwardly disposed projections or wards 20 of the rim ange of the cover, which will thus space the latching portion of the handle sufficiently from the bead II of the receptacle to permit the same to clear as the cover is raised, as shown in Fig. 6.

It should be noted that in this form of the invention the latching portion of the handle is inclined transversely with respect tothe adjacent portion of the rim flange of the cover so that when the handle is pulled outward the leading edge of this latching portion will rst contact the rim flange of the cover, acting as a fulcrum upon which the handle and latching portion swing slightly to the broken line position shown in Fig. 8, permitting the entire latching portion I 9 of the handle to swing fiat against the rim flange of the cover between the projections or wards 20.

The operation of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 3, 9 and 10 is substantially identical with that above described with respect to Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 6, with the exception that the handle I4a is operated by one nger instead of using the entire hand, as provided for with the handle I4 in the other form of the invention.

Cover locks made in accordance with the invention have a number of decided advantages over the types of devices shown in the several patents above referred to. By omitting the usual aperture or slot necessary in the patented structures to receive the latching portion of the handle, thek cover not only has a better appearance, but is a better article for sanitary reasons and is not subject to the danger of rust or corrosion around the aperture.

Furthermore, the spring hinge by means of which the various forms of handles may be attached to the cover provide a more secure lock than the gravity operated devices shown in the prior patents. It has been found by experience that when a can, provided with one of these gravity operated cover locks, is tipped over, the latching handle very frequently is unlocked by the impact of the falling can, permitting the 75 cover to fall off the can so that animals may strew the contents of the can around the premises.

With applicants improved device the can may be upset, or thrown and rolled into any position without the possibility of the latching handle becoming unlocked, as the spring hinge holds the same in locked position at all times except when the handle is manipulated to unlock the same.

I claim:

l. The combination with a receptacle having an external bead adjacent to its open end, of a cover for said receptacle having a depending imperforate rim ange extending downwardly over said bead, a manipulating and latching handle,

a spring upon the out side of said rim flange for movably mounting said handle upon the cover, the upper end of the handle being formed into a ring and the lower end of the handle extending beneath the rim flange and terminating between the side wall of the receptacle and the rim iiange of the cover and comprising a locking projection normally positioned beneath said bead and entirely free of said rim ange, and an in wardly disposed projection on the rim flange at one side of said locking projection, and of slightly greater depth than said locking projection.

2. The combination with a receptacle having an external bead adjacent to its open end, of a cover for said receptacle having a depending imperforate rim flange extending downwardly over said bead, a manipulating and latching handle, a spring upon the out side of said rim flange for movably mounting said handle upon the cover, the upper end of the handle being formed into a ring and the lower end of the handle extending beneath the rim flange and terminating between the side wall of the receptacle and the rim flange of the cover and comprising a locking projection normally positioned beneath vsaid bead and entirely free of said rim ange, and an inwardly disposed projection on the rim flange at each side of said locking projection, and of slightly greater depth than said locking projection.

3. The combination with a receptacle having an external bead adjacent to its open end, of a cover for said receptacle having a depending imperfcrate rim flange extending downwardly over said bead, a manipulating and latching handle, a spring upon the out side of said rim flange for movably mounting said handle upon the cover, the upper end of the handle being formed into a vertically disposed loop and the lower end of the .handle extending beneath the rim flange and terminating between the side wall of the receptacle and the rim flange of the cover and comprising a locking projection normally positioned beneath said bead and entirely free of said rim flange, and an inwardly disposed projection on the rim flange at one side of said locking projection, and of slightly greater depth than said locking projection.

4. The combination with a receptacle having an external bead adjacent to its open end, of a cover for said receptacle having a depending irnperforate rim flange extending downwardly over said bead, a manipulating and latching handle, a spring upon the out side of said rim flange for movably mounting said handle upon the cover, the upper end of the handle being formed into a vertically disposed loop and the lower end of the handle extending beneath the rim flange and terminating between the side wall of the receptacle and the rim flange of the cover and comprising a locking projection normally positioned beneath said bead and entirely free of said rim flange, and an inwardly disposed projection on the rim flange at each side of said locking projection, and of slightly greater depth than said locking projection.

5. The combination with a receptacle having an external bead adjacent to its open end, of a cover for said receptacle having a depending, imperiorate rim flange extending downwardly over said bead, a manipulating and latching handle formed of a vertically disposed, flat metal strip having a hand grip portion at its upper end, and having its lower end extending beneath the rim flange and terminating between the side wall of the receptacle and the rim flange of the cover in an upturned locking projection entirely free of said rim flange, and a horizontally disposed spring connected at one end to the out side of the rim ange and at its other end to said handle for movably mounting said handle upon the cover with the locking projection normally positioned beneath the rim bead.

6. The combination with a receptacle having an external bead adjacent to its open end, of a cover for said receptacle having a depending, imperforate rim flange extending downwardly over said bead, a manipulating and latching handle formed of a vertically disposed, at metal strip having a hand grip portion at its upper end, and having its lower end extending beneath the rim flange and terminating between the side wall of the receptacle and the rim flange of the cover in an upturned locking projection entirely free of said rim flange, a horizontally disposed spring connected at one end to the out side of the rim flange and at its other end to said handle for movably mounting said handle upon the cover with the looking projection normally positioned beneath the rim bead, and an inwardly disposed projection on the rim flange at one side of said locking projection and of slightly greater depth than said locking projection.

ROWLAND Gr. CURTIS. 

